Realisations
by Keiran
Summary: Arc of fics where Wufei is learning while observing reality, more specificly Heero and Duo. Slight shounen-ai. New Story: A Rose by any Other Name, or learn the wonders of wu-romanticism.
1. To Watch or to See

Author: Keiran

Title: To Watch or to See 1/1

Rating: None.

Pairings: 1+2+1 if you look for it. If you're really want there might be some 5+2.

Warnings: Truly minor RFO. If you really look for it. Wufei pov.

This fic has been betaed by Sundaire. waves a Go Sundaire!' flag

***

There is no justice in the world.   
  
I would be the first to admit I am not good with social relationships. So what if I was married, once. So what if there is someone, or even a few people, I respect deeply.  
  
It has been brought to my attention, rather forcibly today, that I am presumptuous. Not that anybody said that to my face, because nobody would, expect Maxwell, but that's another story entirely.   
  
I justify my actions basing them on assumptions. For example, as I mentioned, I am not good at socializing. But what of it, I used to think, since compared to Yuy I'm nearly as good as Maxwell compared to Barton.   
  
I know what you think, and you are wrong. Barton is very much a people person. A perfect listener. Sure, the difference is great, it's Maxwell's company people seek, but people who get to know Barton learn just how sociable he is in friend-to-friend interactions.   
  
My presumptuousness was proven by a faulty catwalk. You see, once in a blue moon, we have a shared mission. Afterwards, we usually go to a safe house. This time it was an old Sweepers' base, where lots of them have come to help us with repairs.   
  
Somehow, Relena Peacecraft followed. She has this notion that Yuy needs saving from himself.   
  
I used to agree.  
  
Back to the problem at hand. Deathscythe was the first to land, followed closely by Wing. Maxwell took some really serious blows during the mission. From what I heard, he had a broken arm and some minor, but exhausting, wounds. There was only one 'fuck' and two 'don't-scratch-the-paint-you-motherfuckers' which indicated serious weariness. But I'm digressing.   
  
Watching Maxwell land a mecha is an unforgettable sight – compared roughly to watching him practice katas (which he talked me into teaching him, by the way). He puts his whole soul into whatever he is doing. Anyway. So he landed and got out onto the catwalk, Yuy following suit. All of us managed to cram our suits into the tiny hangar, when the Sweepers and Lady Peacecraft showed up, Howard and the Lady on our level. Maxwell waved to Howard enthusiastically, before clutching his bad arm again with a hiss.   
  
The hangar and the equipment was old and rusty. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the walkway gave way under Maxwell's slight weight. If it wasn't for the broken arm, it wouldn't have been much of a problem. But he was exhausted. All of us were. Even 'Superhuman Yuy' as Maxwell refers to him sometimes.   
  
That didn't stop him, Yuy I mean, from jumping onto the faulty piece of metal and sliding down just in time to grab Maxwell's good arm.  
  
The outcome shocked everybody into silence for a few seconds. It was just like a suspense movie – I was mesmerized with the sight of single blood beads falling from Maxwell's hand roughly 20 meters down, one level lower than our suits were standing. I could almost hear the splash the drops made.   
  
"And to think I washed my hair last night," Maxwell smiled disarmingly at Yuy. "You should have shot me when you had the chance. Howard wouldn't have to pay the cleaning lady."  
  
"Shut up, idiot." I heard Yuy growl. That shook us from the trance. The Lady started screaming, predictably. I was standing nearest to the broken footpath, so I launched myself into trying to prevent further breakage. The Lady joined me soon enough, no doubt trying to give Yuy some moral support.   
  
Which was of no use, since he ignored her completely. I have never seen him so focused on a person before. Even if he had their life in his hands, literally. I had to smirk at that. Maxwell rubs off on people. I could vaguely make out Winner racing back to his Gundam, which was the only one with any chances of reaching the two in time. Both Wing and Deathscythe were on the other side of the lower level, Nataku was behind them, and Barton's stood at the gates.   
  
Yuy's and Maxwell's fate depended on how fast and how well Winner could manoeuvre Sandrock in a limited space. I could only watch. With all the limited materials I had, I secured the pieces of the catwalk that were still holding, but there was no guarantee that it wouldn't break in other places.   
  
"Heero…" A whisper caught my attention. I looked down to see Maxwell smiling softly. "I'm going to pass out." Indeed, I could see the fatigue in his eyes and in the lines of his body. He, Yuy and I knew what it meant.   
  
"You do that, I kill you. Get it?"  
  
It meant that his grip on Yuy's arm would loosen, and with Yuy's hand being slick with sweat and Maxwell's blood, even the perfect soldier wouldn't be able to hold on.   
  
Yuy's statement confused me, however. It was something I'd picture Maxwell saying in the situation. Yuy had no sense of humor that I knew of. But then he was speaking again.  
  
"If I have to drag my ass into the afterlife, just to kick yours, you are going to be in trouble Duo. You hear me? You are going to be in serious trouble." I heard a gasp from the Lady.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I know." Another grin. "You'd have to get in line."  
  
"Hn. I don't do lines."  
  
And the ramp broke.   
  
I nearly started screaming. Or at least I think I did, the Lady was screeching my ear off, so I couldn't even be sure of my name. Fortunately Winner somehow managed to make it at the very last moment. When we all calmed down enough I noticed Yuy lying on Sandrock's palm, shielding Maxwell's unconscious body from falling pieces of scaffolding.   
   
The incident got me thinking. And observing. And brought me to a conclusion, finally. Maxwell liked being with people, and people liked being with Maxwell. He was the very personification of what everyone calls 'a people person'. Barton, on the other hand, treated people as if they didn't exist, until they made an effort and got to know him, but once they did he cherished them. Yuy treated everybody as a potential danger, with a sole exception of Maxwell, who managed somehow to earn his trust and respect. Ever since that, Yuy treated him as something special.  
  
So… Barton is friends-orientated Maxwell. Yuy is Maxwell-orientated Barton.  
  
I get the feeling that if I actually want to keep a friendship with Maxwell going, I'll need to put some effort into it, because Yuy looks just about ready to shield him from the rest of the world.  
  
And frankly, I don't blame him.

~The End~


	2. Beauty lies in the Eyes of Beholder

Author: Keiran

Title: Beauty lies in the Eyes of Beholder, second fic in 'Realisations' arc.

Rating: None.

Pairings: 1+2+1

Warnings: Wufei pov

Archive: my site can be found on my profile page. Any else? Yes please.

This fic has been betaed by Sundaire. waves a Go Sundaire!' flag

****

Reality seems to have a warped sense of humor, showing and proving things to me using my closest friends as an example. But first things first.  
  
They say that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. I never gave that statement much thought. I knew it was true for books and cars, and maybe some **people**. Of course, some things are supposed to be just fairy tales, such as the girl falling in love with a big, hairy, bear-like creature, just because he had a nice voice and gave her pretty dresses. Okay, I admit, a girl might.   
  
Heaven forbid Sally ever read **that**.  
  
I have never wondered why the 'Beauty' was always female. I'm not saying that all guys care about are looks, because that's not true, but it would be a lie to say that we are not concerned with them. They matter.  
  
Now for other matters. I find working for the Preventers a satisfying activity, even if it is pretty time-consuming. Of course I had to get used to dealing with Lady Une on a regular basis, but that proved to be manageable. To my utter surprise, may I add. I was quite astonished at first at how well I fit with working under somebody's command too, but I account it all to Sally's influence.   
  
What can I say, when it comes to temper, one would be hard-pressed to find an individual better equipped than me. Although I personally know a few that match.  
  
Back to the subject at hand. Being one of the best Preventers agents, I have little time for socializing. However, I have learned my lesson and I do put some effort into acquiring new friends. Never neglecting the old ones, of course. Not everybody is Maxwell, after all. I find the implication pretty amusing, because Maxwell is (and should be) on top of everybody's 'To Cherish' list. You only learn what you have after you lose it.  
  
Seems like I am never going to get on track. Oh well. Talking about Maxwell is a good past time. There are always people that populate gossips and conversations. For the Preventers the first of them is Miss Peacecraft. The second is Maxwell. There is a difference you see. Miss Peacecraft, while respected due to her position in the government, is privately still considered a little girl. People talk about her recent attempts to seduce Yuy and while they are not necessarily unsympathetic, she is never treated seriously. Maxwell, on the other hand, is discussed whenever somebody has a bad day. 'You know what Duo/(Mr/agent)Maxwell said the other day?' is frequently used instead of 'cheer up.'  
  
It is pretty obvious that soon after the Preventers had been graced with the presence of the almighty braid, Duo Maxwell became a legend. The line I mentioned can be heard virtually everywhere, from the basement all the way up to Une's office.   
  
The funny thing about that is that many of those people never really met the 'legend' personally. Recently I had been assigned a mission with one of the younger agents (he was still a good six years older than me). His name was Yuki. He was kind and helpful, although considerably excited about the idea of working with a Gundam pilot. He got even more excited when he learned that I am one of the closest friends of the proverbial Duo Maxwell.  
  
As I mentioned previously, the God of Death is a great topic for discussion, from the nickname, through the motto, down to the tip of his braid. Since the mission was of the boring kind, we, or rather I, spent most of the time talking. I know I don't sound like myself there. But believe me, I can talk if I have something to talk about and someone that listens eagerly. And Yuki was an eager listener. Of course the purpose of my speech wasn't to reveal Maxwell's inner secrets. No, it was strictly a 'Duo Maxwell – the phenomenon in relation to reality' kind of talk.   
  
Sometime in the middle of the conversation the question of Maxwell's looks was brought up. There really wasn't much to say about it. I told Yuki that Maxwell was beautiful. End of story. I never put much thought into it before, I didn't then.  
  
I happened to bump into the guy a couple of days later in the headquarters. Maxwell was with me, we had just been going for lunch, so we invited Yuki to join us. I noticed that the agent was throwing rather strange looks Maxwell's way. I dismissed it for the time being. Yuy joined us sometime later and the four of us had a pretty fun meal. No matter what people might say, I truly care about my fellow pilots. The name came and stuck, by the way. We were 'the pilots' and there was no going around it. The duo finished their food and left, some paperwork had to be done, they said. I faced Yuki.  
  
"So… did the legend live up to your expectations?" I asked finally, perplexed by his expression.  
  
"Yes! I mean he is charming and funny, but…"  
  
"But what?" I prompted, curiosity piqued.   
  
"Everybody has been telling me he's beautiful," he said hesitantly. I think my eyes might have bugged a little. Yuki must have noticed that I wasn't really following his line of thought, because he explained quickly: "I mean, he is not even handsome!" That had astonished me. To the point of gaping at the man in a very undignified manner. "He looks… creepy. He is short and skinny and has eyes that are way too big for his face. And they have such an odd color too! It freaks me out, when he looks at me with those eyes. He might have looked cute, if his face was a little bit rounder. He reminds me of one of those eerie, tiny dolls, you know, the ones that have the eyes half the size their head is, and they stare at you with a pout, and when you turn around they jump and bite your head off."  
  
Here I was thinking that I was prepared for virtually everything the world might have sent my way. But what do I know. [1]  
  
Sometime afterwards, when I finally managed to gather my wits, I started watching Maxwell in a more dispassionate way. As if I was staring at a sculpture. The results were seriously disturbing.  
  
To a casual observant, Maxwell looks skinny. He is obviously short, but that is to be expected, given his history of malnourishment. He is surprisingly heavy, but not many people lift him to check that. I did, so I know. You only realize that there is only muscle on his body after you see him shirtless while exercising. When he is clothed, he… he actually resembles a spider. Don't get me wrong, he has a very attractive body – lithe, seemingly fragile but strong at the same time. But one rarely gets to see it properly, as he prefers less revealing clothing.  
  
During the wars he was cute. Very, very cute. His face was heart-shaped so his huge eyes didn't really seem shocking for a sixteen year old. However, as he grew older, he lost the baby fat. Of course his eyes are probably average sized, technically speaking, but his face seems so petite, that they actually dominate his features. Objectively speaking, Yuy is far more attractive. He is taller, better built, his face has that classic, handsome look…  
  
But then Yuy doesn't have a shiny, silky, goldish-chestnut meter long braid. Maybe that's it.  
  
You have to imagine my confusion, in all the time I knew Maxwell, that people – both sexes – were lining up to get a bit of his attention. The fact that he managed somehow to get Yuy to get a life says a lot. And now I learn that he is not attractive enough to be considered handsome. It bothered me.   
  
I wondered if it bothers Maxwell as well, so I went to talk with him. I found him in his and Yuy's office. He was telling a lengthy joke, obviously good, because it earned a chuckle from Yuy.  
  
"Maxwell, Yuy," I said instead of a greeting. Maxwell beamed at me. His smiles are infectious, by the way.   
  
"Hiya Fei! What brings you, oh mighty Wuffers, to our humble box?" Yuy merely nodded, still smiling.  
  
"I was wondering if you could answer me a couple of questions."  
  
"Sure. Shoot." He made himself comfortable on his desk.  
  
"Do you think you're attractive?" I wasn't one to beat around the bush. Maxwell gaped, taken by surprise. Yuy rose a brow.  
  
"What kind of question is that?! But yes, I think I am attractive. I mean, people wouldn't talk with me so much if I wasn't. Where did it come from?"  
  
"Someone had described you as… well, almost ugly. Creepy, to be precise."   
  
Now that shut him up. He was starting at me in disbelief for a long while. Yuy, on the other hand, was having a field day. When he snickered a little too loudly, however, Maxwell whirled in place and glared.  
  
"Laugh it up! Some boyfriend you are. I just hope you are aware that your good taste is being questioned here!" he bellowed. Yuy smirked in return and pulled Maxwell onto his lap.  
  
"I don't have good taste," he stated calmly. "But I know you're not handsome."  
  
"Oh geez, go and break a guy's heart, why don't you."   
  
Let it be said that absolutely no one in the known universe can sulk like Maxwell does. He made it into an art. Although the same could be said for his laughter and smiles and joyful whoops.  
  
"But I also know you're the most beautiful thing in the world," Yuy finished, nuzzling his boyfriend's neck. Maxwell stopped sulking and grinned at me.  
  
"Guess you have your answer now, Fei. Depends on who's telling."   
  
I smirked. "I suspected as much. Thank you." With that I left them alone.  
  
A few days later Yuy asked me who exactly called Maxwell ugly, because he felt a sudden need for **conversation**.  
  
**The End**  
  
[1] Garfield likes to use this line. Usually after he claims that life is boring, and Jon walks in.


	3. Christmas Special

Author: Keiran

Title: Christmas Special, third fic in 'Realisations' arc.

Rating: None.

Pairings: 1x2x1, 5xS

Warnings: Wufei pov, quoting: It's a very cute, fluffy piece. ^_^

Archive: my site can be found on my profile page. Any else? Yes please.

This fic has been betaed by Sundaire. waves a Go Sundaire!' flag

***

Everyone knows how important friends are. The amusing thing is, that of all the fancy holidays we have, like father's day, mother's day, grandmother's day even the day to clean the Earth, there isn't a day to cherish your friends. One would say 'what about their birthday?', but it gets problematic when your best friend has no idea when his birthday is. There is a date written in his papers, for the sake of being there, but it is only a date. It has no meaning to it, whatsoever.   
  
Trowa Barton and Quatre Winner keep in touch with the rest of us occasionally, since they do not work with us. Winner is too busy running that company of his. If I wanted to be mean, I'd say he spends his days pouting everybody into giving in to him, but maliciousness is not my trait. Slight exaggeration, maybe. Besides, if I said that, it would be a lie, because I know that Winner is tough enough to deal with the business world.  
  
Barton, on the other hand, is still with the circus. We go to see his performances once in a while. Maxwell managed to charm Catherine Bloom into saving the best tickets for us if they're performing somewhere near. Of course, Barton wouldn't be Barton if he jumped our bones every time he sees us after a long absence, but we still have a good time. Don't ask about the time he got sick and Catherine conned Maxwell into doing Barton's part. Let me tell you, the disparity of growth between the two is so big, that if Maxwell had a twin brother there might be place for both of them in the clothing. He ended up playing something akin to the part of course, after they found something else for him to wear, and after Yuy got himself tangled in the mess too. I may tell that story some other time.  
  
Since the five of us doesn't see each other as often as we'd like too, once in a blue moon we arrange a shared vacation. This year we're going to Austria for Christmas. Contrary to popular belief, Winner doesn't own places all over the planet Earth, but he does own a lot of money. Therefore, while none of us wish to prey upon him, we aren't about to protest when he decides to rent a huge mansion for our vacation.  
  
Of course, the fact that he is making the decision is perfectly understandable. He is the president of a well-known company, he knows how to deal with finances. Fortunately, we never had to entrust the task to Maxwell, who is totally hopeless when it comes to dealing with booking anything, save for a meal. The funny thing about him is that he perfected the idea of controlled spending. He never actually saves money, unless there is something that can't be bought straight away, like a car for example. Oh sure, he doesn't go out of his way to spend everything at once, his pay check can lie in a bank for months, but when there is something he really feels like doing, he does it. Yuy behaves quite similarly. I asked Maxwell about it once. Quoting:  
  
"What's the point? We're insured, and I earn so damn much anyway, than I couldn't spend it all if I tried. I just fail to see a point in saving so much when we may very well drop dead tomorrow."  
  
There is a point to that, I admit. The logic is unmistakable. As Preventers and ex-soldiers we are entitled to a lifetime of the government covering all of our medical expenses, so if a disaster struck and one of us couldn't be able to continue as an operative, we don't have much to worry about.   
  
As I was saying, we're going to Austria this year. Quatre thought that spending Christmas somewhere where it actually snows would be fun. He said he'd gladly ski again, since he wasn't able to do so for a long time. I was silent, even though I knew how to ski. Maxwell made me and Yuy go with him on an excursion, when one of his friends said they had spare places. We had fun, sure. However it was our first time on the slopes, so I made quite a fool of myself. The duo did too, so I wasn't **that** mad, but it was a sore spot for a while.  
  
You might ask just how do I know how to ski, if I didn't like it at all. The answer is rather simple – I learned. All five of us are rather fit, so we pick up any sport without much thought. And I didn't say I didn't like skiing. It turned out to be fun, once I got the hang of it.  
  
There is a history behind that too – Maxwell was following me for two weeks, looking like a kicked puppy, when he thought I was angry at him because of that trip. One day he even turned up at my apartment and cooked me a meal I can't forget to this day. Who would have thought he **knew** that duck in honey sauce was my favorite food?   
  
Seeing a pouting Maxwell presents the danger of having an angry Yuy at your throat (as if I **wanted** Maxwell to be sad, anyway), so I decided to start to enjoy skiing, even if it killed me. I signed up for a course and after a few weeks (that was a weekend course) I realized, to my utter surprise, that I actually **do** find skiing satisfying. To the point of actually using the world 'fun' in front of people.  
  
Of course, it turned out that I managed to get Yuy at my throat anyway, for a whole different reason. You see, when I decided I like to ski, I coaxed Maxwell and Yuy into going for a weekend in the mountains with me. Needless to say, once the whirlwind realized I liked what we were doing, he spent nearly every waking moment (if we weren't on the slopes, of course) glomping me. That didn't sit well with Yuy, as you can imagine. But it was never more than a good-natured throttling. And Sally saved me in time (before I turned blue, that is).  
  
But going back to our vacation. Early in December, Quatre sent us all a picture of the house we'd be staying at, taken the previous year by an acquaintance of his who recommended the place to him. I liked it, it was pretty secluded, big, comfortable looking, and even though it was situated in a forest, there was a wide and **direct** skiing route to the nearest lift right next to it.  
  
It became even more becoming after we all talked to Maxwell. He was practically climbing the walls with excitement. Snow wasn't new to him, but quoting: "This place looks just like Santa's house! Just like I saw on the pictures! Will there be as much snow when we go there? Will we get a tree? Will we build a snowman? Will there be eggnog?" He was like a little, endearing child.  
  
Of course, the speech had some side results, such as Yuy calling Winner and saying (and I quote here too. Winner had the call recorded) "There better be tons of snow and eggs Winner, and if you **dare** to even think about not getting a Christmas-tree, I will kill everyone whose last name starts with a 'W.'" Yuy is very protective.  
  
Luckily we made it into the abode without incident. It was the evening of the 23rd of December, the day before Christmas Eve. We had ten days before we had to be back at work again. We invited Sally along, so there were six of us. Sally, being a friend, a fellow agent and my girlfriend, was included in my little skiing scheme.  
  
Come to think of it, we must have looked like a family then – me and Sally being 'the parents,' Duo being the hyperactive kid and the rest being the three favorite uncles. Save for the fact that 'the kid' was a little bit too fond of one of his 'uncles.'  
  
Winner, as usual, lived up to all expectations and a considerably huge **live** Christmas-tree was standing in the corner of the room, which was pretty high for a mountain dwelling. There were also boxes full of lamps and everything one would need to decorate the tree properly.   
  
"I say we unpack and then decorate the tree," Winner said. "What do you say?"   
  
Duo started bouncing immediately.  
  
"I say 'yeah!' Then let's go for a walk! Come on 'Ro! Let's find a room!" he continued, bouncing up the stairs with his heavy bags, which I assumed contained gifts for everybody present and then some. The rest of us shared a smile. He was really happy like a child sometimes. Heero hoisted his bag over his shoulder and followed.   
  
"We'll be back in twenty minutes," he told us.  
  
"Don't wear him out too much," Trowa said, surprising us all. Quatre looked at him in disbelief.  
  
"I'll try," Heero answered, smirking. True to their word they both appeared downstairs exactly twenty minutes later and started to unpack the boxes. Sally and I sat back, leaving the tree to Maxwell and Winner mostly, with some help from Yuy. Finally the decorations were in place, save for the very last piece. Maxwell and Winner had to play 'scissors-rock-paper' to decide who would top the tree with a star. Maxwell won, but on his own he was able to place the star only a good meter below the peak. Yuy stepped in, lifting him to his shoulder, allowing the green tree to be finalized.  
  
"Done!" Maxwell beamed, jumping down his human ladder.  
  
"Careful, Maxwell, you might have broken something. You should have let me get you a parachute," I remarked.   
  
He pouted cutely. "I'm not **that** small! You're mean Fei!"   
  
We laughed heartily. As soon as we caught our breaths, we got dragged outside by an enthusiastic, long-haired oxymoron. I exchanged amused glances with Sally as he virtually ran to the door. Fortunately, Yuy caught him in time, stopping him long enough for all of us to put on cloaks and gloves. Plus a woolen cap and scarf around the neck in Maxwell's case.   
  
The night was beautiful. There was snow everywhere, just like Winner promised. The sky was dark and full of stars, even though the full moon was approaching. I was in awe to tell the truth. I find it hard to believe that someone could fail to see the beauty in the scenery. None of us could, although Yuy was doing his best not to let it show. Typical. Maxwell, on the other hand, was strangely silent.   
  
It took us a while to notice that he was simply beside himself trying not to fall asleep on the spot. Which, you could say, is also typical. He would sooner drop dead than stop any of us from doing something really fun. Naturally, we immediately decided on a diplomatic return. (Quatre: "Oh, I think something was moving in that direction. Let's check it out!") We walked back to the cabin and went to sleep.  
  
We woke up late on Christmas Eve, yet we probably would have slept longer. What woke us, however, was the smell of something delicious being baked downstairs. As I neared the kitchen there was a set of self-appointed detectives investigating the case covering my back. We entered according to Preventers protocol and were treated to the sight of Maxwell sitting on the table scraping the remains of dough from a bowl. The rest of the dough was in the oven, shaped as stars, hearts and Christmas-trees, in the process of becoming thin ginger bread cookies.   
  
The rest of the dough ingredients were scattered around the kitchen and on Maxwell.  
  
"Hi!" he chirped. "I was making cookies for you guys!" Yuy threw him a glance and sauntered to the oven. He bent and glared inside, probably willing the cookies to bake faster and be perfect! I nearly chuckled. Yuy's glares are really easy to read most of the time.  
  
A thought struck me suddenly – this was exactly Maxwell's way of cherishing everyone he held dear. That he would get up at six o'clock in the morning and make a huge mess baking cookies for us (he is a terrific cook, he just makes a huge mess) just because he thought we might like them. Or getting into my house through the roof to make up for taking me for a trip he didn't think I enjoyed.  
  
After we cleaned the kitchen and had breakfast, we went out skiing. That was our general schedule for the whole stay: we got up, we ate, we went skiing, we had a break for Glühwein [1], we went back to skiing, we shoved Maxwell into the kitchen, we ate dinner, we spent time in front of the fire place. Sometimes we went for walks.  
  
Just for the record, Maxwell got me a sweater. A really thick, warm, fluffy, red sweater. They don't make sweaters like that any more. It must have taken him ages to find it for me. The very same could be said for all of the other presents.  
  
It's a funny thing, actually, how much we enjoyed Christmas. None of us were Christians, because Maxwell doesn't count as one either, but we all somehow got into the Christmas spirit without any troubles. Something that Maxwell actually said springs to mind: "Christmas is not entirely about the birth of Christ, it's about unity, love and cherishment." That I could believe.  
  
I also believe that Christmas is time for realizing just how much we are being cherished normally by our friends, and how much we should cherish them in return.  
  
[1] I couldn't find an English word so I used German: it's warmed red wine with spices such as ginger, cinnamon, honey and everything you add to gingerbread plus a slice of orange or lemon. It should be read g-lee-vine. ('g' as in 'go')  
  



	4. A Rose by any Other Name

Author: Keiran

Title: A Rose by any other Name, fourth fic in 'Realisations' arc.

Rating: PG-13 perhaps. In fact probably less, but I don't want to have angry parents following me.

Pairings: 1x2x1, 5xS

Warnings: Wufei pov, Valentine fic.

Archive: my site can be found on my profile page. Any else? Drop me a line.

This fic has been betaed by Sundaire. waves a Go Sundaire!' flag

***

I personally think that most love stories are not only cliché, but also over-sweetened, unrealistic or just plain dumb. Take Tristan and Isolde for example: this is the stupidest tale I have ever heard. And people call it a great romance! Just because they managed to fool everybody, deceive the person they have sworn their allegiance and/or faithfulness to, and lied *and* slept together before and after one of the participant's marriage (and that's a huge trespass, considering the times they lived in.) Even if they did have a surprisingly good partnership – considering that they were of opposite sexes.  
  
Romanticism is a myth. The so-called tales of great love, of knights and princesses or lords marrying orphans are nothing more than a child's illusion. This probably explains the existence of one Relena Peacecraft's infatuation. However, in defence of fairy tales, there is this case of soldiers and orphans…  
  
When I first met Maxwell, I didn't think much of him. My world looked like a zebra, with black and white stripes all over it. That wasn't the only type of categorizing I used. Let's just say that in the other one, Maxwell was placed right above women. The only thing that prevented him from falling into that category was his gender (because I can name a few women piloting Mobiles). His hair annoyed me. I know that my own is not exactly short either, but I do not wear a braid! Now that I know the reason behind it, however, I know such long hair wouldn't be comfortable loose. Actually, I've always wondered how Zechs Marquise dealt with his. Or how much gel he used. But back to Maxwell. Almost against myself I started to talk to him, and I realized that apart from being loud, talkative and insufferable, he was also insightful and clever.  
  
The day I got my hands on his IQ test results should be dutifully noted in history as the day that almost gave Chang Wufei a coronary. It was obscenely high, as you may guess. It made me realize I'm not as ingenious as I thought I was. I also realized (as subconscious as it was) that it takes more than just knowledge to be wise. It took almost no time at all to discover how adept he was at piloting; it took way longer to get me to discover how adept he was at *being*.  
  
But, people grow, people learn, people change. I stopped perceiving others as inferior beings. Maxwell became my best friend, so I naturally started observing him more closely. Surprisingly, the process of noticing the person behind the cheer took a while. It took even more time to get us both comfortable enough to relate our childhoods to each other. However, once we finally did, you can guess I was left speechless. One thing I'd never suspect about Maxwell is that he had lived on the streets. Naturally, he is far from perfect manner-wise; he tends to swear a lot when he is agitated (I do it too, sometimes. But, he and I both can be quite gallant, if the occasion calls for it), but the sheer amount of knowledge he possesses, the things he's read, the conclusions he draws… It amazed me. Not that my own childhood was a piece of blueberry cake, mind you, but I never had to scrape for food or worry about *anything* save for my grades. Yes, there was a fair share of death in my life (I am Chinese. We *worship* the dead), take my own wife, for example. And all the people I knew for the first fifteen years of my life soon after.   
  
In my case, there was the buffer of being discouraged from loving (although it didn't make it hurt any less). Maxwell, on the other hand, was encouraged to love. From what I've understood he'd been groomed to be a priest. Damn fine choice if you ask me.  
  
The conclusions I drew from it were conflicting. From what I've been taught, he should have ended up as a quiet and withdrawn shell of a man, without the slightest lust for life. I was rather skeptic at first. As I drew that conclusion, I had been watching Maxwell bathe a Bernardino on Winner's lawn. They were both making a lot of noise, since the dog was quite young and lively and none of the present remained dry.   
  
Now, when I've compared the bouncing, chattering, laughing, bright mass of energy to the slow, silent, dull and lifeless people I read about, I noticed a discrepancy. A huge discrepancy. Therefore, either the psychologists are not as wise as they give themselves credit for, or Duo is some kind of an exception.   
  
Or an alien. Being around him too much has broadened my mind considerably. Quoting: 'Fei, there's a big chance that an alien community is observing us from afar. So, why don't you lose the scowl? You're making a bad impression.' Thankfully, he was doing the smiling for us both at the time. For the three of us if you count Yuy.   
  
Now that we're on the subject, code name Heero Yuy, he and Maxwell are a couple now. They've been living together since the war, but their actual get-together happened a year later.  
  
It was the most unromantic of all unromantic events a man could think of. Therefore, it isn't easy to see just why I classify their relationship as a romantic love story. It started on a normal, mildly sunny morning. I heard a door being closed with a little too much force. Then it opened again.  
  
"Shows what you know, idiot. Rest assured that I will," Yuy said. Moments later Maxwell joined me by the Xerox machine, so naturally I asked him what that was about.  
  
"Had a row with my brand new, self appointed boyfriend," he replied. I blinked.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Well, he called me an irresponsible… brat, for a lack of a better word, for riding a motorcycle without a helmet on. So I told him he was not my mother, to which he returned he wished he was, just so he could ground me. I naturally told him that I wouldn't allow him to do that even if he was my boyfriend, and voila. Got myself a date," Duo smirked. I could tell he was… pleased with the situation.   
  
"You seem elated," I observed.  
  
"Nah. It's a good thing, true. So I suppose you could say I'm happy," he shrugged. I smirked halfheartedly. I had to admit that the idea bothered me a little. My culture, although it is bent on tradition, has borrowed a lot from the western countries, things that are now presented as its own. Such as disdainful views on homosexual relationships. Well… I won't try denying that I was curious about it, once or twice. So I did some research. I, naturally, received far more information than I'd ever need on the subject (some people really spend too much of their time on the web), but I also found very interesting *Chinese* cultural references. Contrary to what I have been taught, China had a long history of bisexuality and tolerance.  
  
But before I get to my tolerance of the relationship, some background on Yuy would be in order. His past was far less complicated than Maxwell's. He was brought up to be a soldier, nothing special about that, apart from the fact that he managed to fall into the hands of a really obsessed bastard and ended up being given far more training than he would have wanted. That resulted in him being not just unsociable, but downright rude. The famous ripping of Relena's invitation in half is nothing compared to other stunts he is capable of pulling. He is also intense, although not in the same way as Maxwell. Yuy reminds me of a boiler. There is nothing on the surface, but one can *feel* that everything is boiling underneath. Maxwell is passionate all right, but with him the intensity is directed outside, while on the inside he stays relatively calm. Calling him a tornado sums it up quite well.  
  
Yuy, as far as I know, has never really had someone close to him. He is like me in that aspect, except he had virtually no one to get close to. People need contact with another human, even if they have no idea how to go about it. I suppose that's how Yuy got so attached to Maxwell. He decided on a good strategy: if you have no idea what it's all about, pretend you do and get to know someone who's an expert.  
  
It took me a while to draw a connection between Maxwell's past and present, but once I did, I realized that he befriended the people around him, but he only allowed someone close if they made him feel safe. That would explain him being with Yuy, I guess. He would shred the world to pieces if that meant keeping Maxwell safe. I suppose it really is a good thing, no matter the gender of their partner, that they found someone that makes them happy. Of course, it's not like anybody would know if they weren't. But I was supposed to talk about romance.   
  
It would be natural to assume that a romance would blossom between Yuy and Relena Peacecraft. Or Maxwell and Hilde Schbeiker. Here, however, enters a factor known as psychological background. If it was Winner that Relena found on a beach, I'm certain it would have resulted in a love story. Not because they are both blondes... at least not entirely. It has more to do with their background – Quatre was raised to be the 'Prince Charming.' Yuy's chances of falling in love with a fragile princess, with all of his training, were slim to none. For him the world was quite simple. You either are an equal (regardless of the side you are on) or a liability (which could be understood as both a burden and a responsibility). Hazard a guess in which category Relena fell, with her social status, manners and frailty. That categorizing stayed with Yuy even after the war. I doubt he'd be able to form a relationship with a person he considered a liability.  
  
Now Hilde is another matter. She is a soldier herself, so definitely not a liability. She is strong and she gets along with Maxwell well. Why they didn't become a couple I can only guess. Or could, to be more precise. I asked Maxwell about it, sometime ago.  
  
"See, Fei," he answered, "I really like her. And truthfully I have no idea. But I don't think she'd be able to understand me like Heero does. I mean, she was a soldier all right, but she was more of a young recruit, so she doesn't really know what it was like to go out in a real battle. I know there are friends and there are lovers, but I don't think I'll be able to spend my life with a person who couldn't understand all of me, down to the reason why I find it fit to have a set of throwing knives taped to the underside of the bed and explosives behind the microwave. You think a girl could live with that? Plus, if you spend as much time as I have in the presence of someone who knows you so well that you don't even have to tell him to pass you salt when you're eating, you'll fall in love sooner or later. And it doesn't hurt at all that he's hot as hell. Although, I have to admit, I thought I was straight until him," he added as an afterthought. "Perhaps we all have some hidden gay tendencies."   
  
I nearly choked at the lecherous smirk he gave me. "Maxwell! You had me drunk that time!"   
  
He laughed merrily. I sighed. Life is never simple when Maxwell is around.  
  
I asked Yuy the 'why didn't you get together with the girl' question a day later. His answer, however, was much less sophisticated: "What he said. Only the girl has less good sides." (To be quite honest, he added: 'I'd be grateful if you tried any future 'hidden gay tendencies' on someone else rather than my boyfriend.' And not just added, he *added*. Punctuating the statement by messing up my collar).  
  
That more or less cleared the problem for me. The funny thing is, that when I told Sally all of it, her only comment was 'How cute they both are…' accompanied by a sigh. What is it with women and gay men? I personally can't see anything alluring in them. Other than two of them being my best friends, of course. However, after careful pondering on both their characters, I was finding the idea of them being an item more and more appealing. Not enough to try and crawl in-between, thank you very much, more like 'Thank God, neither of them is a woman, I fear to think what their children would be like.'  
  
Where is the romance, you ask? Where are the candlelit dinners, the flowers and the serenades under a balcony? What's romantic in living together, cooking, cleaning and every other chore you can think of? Surely there is nothing to make one think of them as a perfect couple. Especially when said couple tends to beat the hell out of each other, and it's not entirely uncommon to see them walk in to work with a shiner or two. It is better to be in the next country when they are fighting.  
  
I thought about relationships, long and hard. Women need all the romanticism. I fail to understand why. But I care for Sally very much, so I decided I would make her happy if it killed me. A little flowery speech wouldn't, or so I hoped. And since you need to know what you have to aim for, and I was raised to aim for nothing short of success, I kept close tabs on the pair. I wasn't really getting anywhere, until that day when I accidentally walked in on Maxwell and Yuy after a Preventers' raid. Maxwell killed a man during that mission.  
  
He never really liked killing. Oh yes, there was a fair share of 'bite the ground, motherfucker' and 'none shall escape Shinigami's wrath' but… he hated killing. It just wasn't who he was, as a person. He wouldn't, of course ever show that he felt bad. Something was left in him from the life on the streets – 'never show your weakness, to a friend or foe.'  
  
That one night I saw him cry. No hysteria, no tears, but he was crying quietly. Not that it would look like he was crying to anybody else. He was sitting in Yuy's lap, clutching at his shirt, whispering something I couldn't really make out. And Yuy was sitting calmly, just holding him tight enough to leave bruises. I left very quickly afterwards. I didn't want to disrupt their privacy.  
  
I went back home where Sally was waiting for me. I saw her smile and suddenly I knew that I wanted her to know I hurt. I had never thought to say something like that to anybody. Not even my esteemed wife. Or perhaps especially her. I have grown up since then.   
  
My first attempts at being romantic were disastrous. Finally, I gave up and left the matter entirely to the Maxwell-Yuy duo, who arranged a perfect candlelit dinner in our flat, which Maxwell cooked, got Yuy to serve, and then both cleaned up and disappeared, leaving the two of us in a perfect atmosphere and mood. *That* night was flawless. I even got over having to listen to the rules of Wu-romanticism. Take a guess at who made them up – you have three tries and the first two don't count.  
  
It, namely mine and Sally's relationship, didn't exactly go smoothly. It took me months to start opening up to her fully. Amazingly enough, it feels pretty good, knowing that there is a person you can open up to, who will accept you for what you are and won't expect any miracles on your part. We have grown a lot closer since that time, since I realized that the one thing that made Yuy and Maxwell so perfect for each other was that they didn't hesitate to bare their weaknesses. Surprisingly, that works, I noticed. They don't expect miracles from each other, so they don't miss them.  
  
They just live (or at least Maxwell does, hauling Yuy behind him).

***The End***

So, how did it go?


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